Speldhurst - walking with bluebells

First things first - the George and Dragon pub is child friendly and dog friendly complete with a water bowl in the bar (for the dogs) We sailed in, had a sniff around the village and returned to order a light lunch.  Excellently presented and extremely palatable with a wide range of starters, main courses, desserts and wines on the menu.  The menu is changed regularly but as they do not do bar snacks as such this could be a downside if you want a sandwich.  Bite the bullet and eat a lunch - enjoy because the chef knows what he or she is doing.  Top quality for reasonable prices.  Again, be polite and let them know you are going for a walk and will be dining and imbibing of refreshments. Harvey's ale is on sale.

Above: The George and Dragon Pub

Next:House next to St Mary's Church

The old Farmhouse Bullingstone Lane

The walk we elected to do was suggested as a one and a half hour trip but we took much longer (Anno domini and fussing about the dog who needs to learn what my sister wants from him regarding walking) but no matter it was pleasant.  Start at the pub and turn left walking along the road to a gate marked by public footpath sign leading to Bullingstone Lane.  The path is obvious from there and will lead you out to the lane where you turn right and find the path next to Holly cottage.  This leads down through the woods and you can take the left or right fork - we took the left up thorugh the woods to Coopers lane and down there to the path on the right on a tight bend that leads across fields with views of Penshurst Place and the Medway river below.

The route then goes down to the bottom of Coopers lane where you will see Poundsbridge church which is well worth the visit and back again up the hill on a footpath to a road where you turn right and go back to the top of Coopers lane and return along the path you came. 

The day was a scorcher for this time of the year and although it was pleasant walking the sun was hot brightening everything and creating a heat haze in the distance.  This area of Kent is steeped in history - as indeed is most of Kent - and has retained some of its finest old buildings and some of its most quaint and although Speldhurst has a few the impression we had was of a village that had developed with the ages giving off a mixture of ancient and modern and a feeling that here is a village with life. 

St Mary's church was rebuilt in 1890 but according to the records there was a church there at least 900 years before.  We did not go inside with the dog but the place looked interesting.